Travel Tuesday: My NYC Summer Food Diary

Last summer I interned and lived in NYC. My cousins and older brother live in New York so I had visited a handful of times before I moved there. I was a bit shocked at how much living there was a completely different (and less glamorous) experience from what I had previously known. Although it was so much fun and I’m really happy that I got to experience it, I left knowing that I would not be moving back unless I had a much larger salary. My apartment, for example, was tiny and yet very expensive. This left me with a smaller budget for things like shopping and going out to eat.

Luckily there were plenty of places that were able to keep my budget happy while keeping the foodie in me even happier. I loved getting to try new places and finding those go-to spots in the East Village (where I lived).

Within a week of being in the city I had heard from multiple people that I had to try Big Gay Ice Cream (pictured above), especially since it was such a close walk from my apartment. So, of course, I went…and then I went again…and then again throughout the Summer. I’m not sure if it was the fact that I could line the inside of my cone with something delicious of my choosing or the ice cream itself…but it was good.

Another East Village find was Luke’s Lobster. It’s pretty small inside but I was usually able to find a seat. If you’re a lobster lover like me then you’ll appreciate the simple but delicious items on the menu! I always went with the lobster roll of course 🙂

The single best foodie day of my summer definitely had to be going to Smorgasburg. There were so many great vendors to try–it was honestly hard to narrow it down to a couple! I decided to try the famous Ramen Burger and get an ice cream sandwich for dessert!

Another good spot with a lot of options all in one place is the Chelsea Market!

My cousin’s live in Brooklyn and are pretty close to Nathan’s Famous! They have some really good hot dogs and cheese fries! Yum! And while you’re there you can walk through Coney Island and take a ride on the Wonder Wheel!

I hope to be back in New York soon so I can grab a bite to eat at some of my summer’s favorite spots! But until then I’ll be dreaming about my someday apartment overlooking central park.